Well, we’ve had massive technical difficulties in the past few days; the computers hadn’t arrived (still haven’t), and we’re making do with the older computers, only one of which turns out to be hooked up to the internet (and it has been down!). So I saved some of the boys’ write ups on a flash drive, and here’s a glimpse. The boys are introducing themselves with some of their favorite things (and some things they dislike!). These are the raw first drafts of how they will introduce themselves on their own posts, once we get things settled:

My name is Biplab.
I am 12 years old.
I live in Noida.
I study in a Public school.
My favorite color is red.
My favorite god is all gods.
My favorite game is football.
My favorite food is Maggie.
My favorite fruit is mango.
My favorite subject is English.
My favorite story is Birbal’s khichri.
My favorite hobby is dancing.
My favorite film star is Hrithik.
My favorite drink is milk
My favorite flower is lily
I don’t like cursing
I don’t like washing clothes
I don’t like picking up garbage
I don’t like brinjal
I don’t like tomato chatni
I don’t like singing
I don’t like pig
I don’t like noida
I don’t like roohafza
My favorite [hobby] is reading
My favorite friend is jayanto
My favorite animal is tiger
My favorite vegetable

My name is Rohit.hassan.
I am 11 years old.
I live in Noida.
I study in 7 class.
My favorite colour is red .
My favorite god is VIVEKANANDA.
My favorite game is football.
My favorite food is dosa.
My favorite fruit is apple.
My favorite subject is ENGLISH.
My favorite story is BIRBAL’s KHICHRI.
My favorite HOBBY is SWIMMING.
My favorite filmstar is GANESH.
My favorite film is DON.no.1.
My favorite DRINK is MILK.
My favorite flower is ROSE
I don’t like cursing
I don’t like crying
I don’t like ROOAFZA
I don’t like Picking up the garbage
I don’t like dal

My name is vishal
I am 11 years old
I live in NoidaI study in six class
I study R.K.P.H public school
My favorite colour in red
My favorite god is hanuman
My favorite game is football
My favorite food is Maggie
My favorite fruit apple
My favorite subject is english
My favorite story is birbal’s khichuri
My favorite hobby is dancing
My favorite film star is hrithik
My favorite movies is sing is king
My favorite drink is sprite
My favorite flower is jasmine
I don’t like picking up garbage
I don’t like sweeming
I don’t like cursing
I don’t like brinjal
I don’t like tomato
I don’t like washing clothes
I don’t like rice
I don’t like sweets
I don’t like sweeper road.

Well, no project goes as smoothly as we intend it to! The chairs and tables haven’t yet arrived, so the kids and I are still making do with studying on the floor…the furniture guy has been promising for DAYS that it’s going to arrive, but no luck. We ordered the computers, and they’re allegedly going to arrive Thursday. The problem is, we need the tables to place the computers on! We’re really hoping to have everything set up by the end of this week…

Apart from the logistical issues, things have been going rather slowly: the orphanage has fewer kids these days-some of the kids have gone to their villages for a short break. The remaining kids and I have been working on English lessons around school vocabulary. They’ve been doing worksheets, dictation, and making sentences out of the given vocabulary. I have also taken to speaking in the TL (target language, English) more and more. The boys were a little confused initially, but they’re beginning to enjoy it. Their comprehension is really good; but when it comes to having to produce any English, they’re not very confident.

Today we also had a lovely lady who visited the orphanage for the first time. She doesn’t live too far away and came with some delicious food and drinks for the kids. She was very tender with the kids, and they immediately took to her, quickly getting over their initial shyness. Pics below! Come show us some comment love!

Today the orphanage received a VERY special guest, Daniel Solomon, an anthropology doctoral student from the United States. He came and spent some time with the kids, speaking to them in Hindi and English. Danny explained (using a globe) where he came from, and engaged the students in discussions about the kinds of sports and games people play in the United States, making good use of a whiteboard. The children had questions for Danny about his family, his work in India, and what he was studying. When Danny left, the kids kept asking him to return tomorrow: “डैनी भय्या कल आयेंगे, ना?”! We are VERY hopeful he’ll be back soon!

Here’s a short video clip of Danny showing where he lives and his family lives, and then a small gallery of photos for the visit.